


How Hobbits Learned to Grow (Or, Bilbo Wants A Story)

by hufflepuff_true



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Backstory, Entwives, F/M, Family, Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic, Plants, Storytelling, growing things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-05-30
Packaged: 2018-01-27 15:56:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1716293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hufflepuff_true/pseuds/hufflepuff_true
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short fluff peice. Bilbo and his parents are sitting around the fire, and the young faunt wants a story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Hobbits Learned to Grow (Or, Bilbo Wants A Story)

Bilbo settled down at his mama's feet. Dinner was finished and the family was sitting down around the fire, just spending time together. Papa was slowly puffing away on his pipe of Old Toby and Mama was crocheting a new doily.  She didn't normally do that but Aunty Lobelia had been saying that _her_ crochet was better than Mama's. Mama couldn't let her keep saying that.

He idly played with his letter blocks, rearranging them to form new words. This quickly grew boring though. Bilbo watched the fire for a bit before his impatience got the best of him.  Turning around, the young faunt reached over to tug on his mother's skirts.

She set down her thread and hook on the table beside her before reaching down to pick up her young son. Belladonna settled him down in her lap.  Bilbo leaned back against her warm chest. He always felt so safe in her arms.

"Mama, will you tell me a story?" Mama always told the very best stories. Even better than Gandalf or Grandpa Took.

"Of course, little one. Hmmm. Have I told you about how Hobbits learned to garden and grow?" Bilbo shook his head. His papa smiled and turned to face his wife and child.  He too, loved his wife's tales.

"Ah, good. Let's see... Where to begin?" She cocked her head to the side as she gathered her thoughts, as she did before she told any story, "A long time ago, before the two brothers decided to leave Bree and settle in the Shire; before Hobbits had even come to Bree, even, our people lived far over the Misty Mountains next to a great river and a mighty forest. 

"Now, you should know that Hobbits weren't always the magnificent gardeners and farmers that we are today. Oh, we could keep a small patch but for the most part we foraged for our vegetables or bartered with the men and elves.

"One day a brother and sister went out for a walk in search of food, berries and the like.  But there was a harsh storm that blew in from the East and they were lost.  For days they wandered, finding little that they knew was safe to eat and being unable to find their way back home.

"Eventually they came to the most beautiful garden.  The trees were tall and full of fresh ripe fruit. The grasses were thick and green. Baskets of harvest vegetables littered the ground, filled with carrots and peas and potatoes. A bounty that not even the Elves could match.  The brother and sister thought they had stumbled on to a garden of the Valar.

"In truth, they'd managed to stumble upon the gardens of the Entwives-"

"What are Entwives, Mama?" Bilbo interrupted before he'd thought better of it. Belladonna smiled down at her son, not at all put out with his curious nature.

"Listen, and you'll find out son," Bungo reminded his child gently. Bilbo nodded sheepishly, before settling back against his mother.

"The Entwives and Entmaidens were the women and girls of the Ents. When Men and Elves and Dwarves first came to the world, Yavanna was so worried that they would chop down all her beloved trees. And so, to give her peace, Eru allowed her to create the Ents, shepherds to guard and watch over the trees. But their wives and daughters were more concerned with growing better things and in structure that was absent from the lives of the Ents.  So, they left the ancient forest and made wondrous gardens across the river that they're husbands and men folk could visit them in whenever they liked. This was one such garden that the two hobbits had found.

"From further in the garden, came the Entwives. They were beautiful, as tall and slender as new trees and just as varied. Their hair was like new leaves and ripe fruit and golden grain. There were roses in their cheeks and strength in their limbs. One such maiden came over and peered down at the little Hobbits.

" 'Who are you and how have you come to find us here?' she asked them.  'We are Alberic and Prisca,' they answered, 'We were lost in the storm.'  The Entwives gave them food and drink to regain their strength. They ate better those days than they'd ever had before.

"Once Prisca and Alberic had recovered from the storm, they once again marveled at the gardens of the Entwives. They had much herblore and knew the best way to bring about bountiful harvests.  Prisca finally got the nerve and asked them if they would teach her and Alberic how to grow.

"The wives were delighted!  Their husbands didn't share their passion for growing things and they'd already taught the Men and Elves all they wanted to know. They were eager for new pupils.  Over the next few years, the Entwives taught the brother and sister a great many things. About tilling and composting and harvesting the ripest and richest crops. But the two were getting lonely and missed their family greatly.

"So taking all they learned, Alberic and Prisca returned to their settlement between the river and the forest.  Over the years they visited the Entwives and maidens in their gardens, bringing their spouses and children and then their grandchildren to meet those who had taught them so much to help their community. Eventually, the siblings passed and the Hobbits traveled over the mountains to Bree and, finally, the Shire. That is how the Hobbits got so good at growing things." Belladonna finished her tale, smiling down at her sleepy son.

She glanced over to her husband and found him nodding off just like his son. Chuckling lightly, Belladonna scooped her son into her arms and carried him to his room.

 As she settled him into his bed, he roused slightly to ask, "But Mama.... Why did the Hobbits stop," here he paused for a deep yawn, "Visiting the Entwives and go over the mountains?" He yawned again.

Smiling sadly at her little boy, she tugged the blanket up to his chin, "There was a very bad person, who came and destroyed the gardens; the Entwives and maidens had to move to another place. When they left, the Hobbits decided to go over the mountains."

"That's not very nice," mumbled little Bilbo on the brink of slumber. 

"No, it's not is it? Go to sleep now." Bilbo made a small 'hmm' and finally nodded off.

His mother smiled down at her small, curious son whispering, "Goodnight, Bilbo. Sweet dreams," then quietly closed the door.

**Author's Note:**

> The hobbit names are canon, provided by a lovely person called DreamFlower who found all the names in the books and appendices and ect to give a complete list online. Check it out!


End file.
